Background
Wilson was a talented amateur snooker player who grew up in the same town, Tredegar, as his friend and snooker rival Ray Reardon.
Wilson was a talented amateur snooker player who grew up in the same town, Tredegar, as his friend and snooker rival Ray Reardon.
After turning professional he got into the world"s top 16 in 1988 at the age of 55, despite very poor eyesight and a number of other ailments. Snooker"s popularity was on the wane during the 1950s and it was extremely difficult to join the small, closed professional circuit. Wilson became disillusioned with the game and gave up snooker completely for fifteen years.
During this time he worked at the steelworks at Llanwern.
Wilson"s interest in the game rekindled in the early 1970s and, after winning the IBSF World Amateur Championship in 1978, he finally turned professional the following year at the age of 45. His popular exhibitions went under the banner "You"ve never seen anything like it!"
He was known as a fast player and a dangerous potter.
But, although he played in the World Championship at the Crucible Theatre on eight occasions, he never progressed beyond the first round – a record he shares with Rex Williams. The highest break of his career was 138.
Amateur finals:: 3 (3 titles).